Quartet Tales

Beginnings

15

NOV/14

After thoroughly investigating the first floor of the Five-Fingered Discount, the party realises that the rats are likely coming from the qanat tunnels that run throughout and beneath the entire city. They make up their minds to locate a map of the city while, at the same time, trying to investigate who exactly it was that stole their purses.

Brother Thomas and Baryl make their way to a makeshift bar in the middle of a street known as a place for Runners to hang out between jobs. Baryl hits up some of his old contacts, and someone gives him the location of the map: which turns out to be in a building inhabited by an old woman and a younger, more pregnant one.

Not having any money on them, Brother Thomas decides to hold down the old woman and yells for Baryl to make a run for the map. Baryl does that, startling the younger pregnant woman, and Brother Thomas gets smacked sideways on his head by an oaken walking stick for his troubles (giving him a Mild Concussion). However, the duo manages to successfully retrieve the map and leave.

In the mean time, Elissa and Leo makes their way to the grocery store opposite the tavern. They are greeted by a pretty young girl, and Elissa – having noticed some Guild marks on the signboard – tries to pass off as Guildsmen. However, not knowing the correct countersign, she messes up.

Baryl and Brother Thomas soon arrives, and between the four of them, the quartet manages to successfully piss the girl off sufficiently that she threatens to shoot them with a massive crossbow if they do not leave. Before beating a hasty retreat, Leo notices that the girl has a tattoo on her inner wrist, but does not manage to get a closer look at it.

Back in the tavern, they consult the map and make plans. They learn that the qanat runs west-east, and there are only three access points: the water source in the west, the exit into the Shifting Sands in the east, and the governor’s house in the city itself, located near the Walled Quarter.

Baryl decides to find out more about the governor’s house, since the city has never had a governor before. He hits up the same makeshift bar and meets an old drunkard who offers him information in exchange for a drink; but, having no money, Baryl can’t afford the information. The barkeep strolls by and offers to buy Baryl the two drinks in exchange for a small service: deliver a small pouch to a man with a tattoo on his inner wrist somewhere in the city.

Baryl accepts, and that the governor’s house does not just border the Walled Quarter: in fact, it is the only house to bisect the Quarter’s chalk line. Taking down the address, he runs the errand and returns to the Five-Fingered Discount; but not before opening the pouch to discover that it’s filled with a greenish powder.

Meanwhile, Brother Thomas decides to do the dishes in exchange for erasing some of the party’s bar tab. Leo watches the crowd, trying to spot whoever it is that stole their purses, and discovers a serving wench acting suspiciously. He grabs her hand, revealing not a purse but instead a small pouch containing the same greenish powder that Baryl just delivered to another mysterious man. In the commotion that follows, the wench slips away into the night.

The party regroups, but Brother Thomas cannot make any sense of the greenish powder beyond the fact that a) it’s green and b) it’s powdery. Having met a dead end, they decide to hit up the governor’s house.

As they approach the Walled Quarter’s borders, they are met with a Hermetic Mage who reminds them to not cross the chalk border under any circumstances. Brother Thomas agrees, and they break into the governor’s house without any trouble, making their way into the qanat system in the basement.

The party makes their way eastwards, towards the tavern, and eventually come across heaps of dead rats. They press on, and eventually find an opening in the qanat that widens out into a cavern. Baryl’s light robs the party of any surprise they may have, and they slay the guards as they tried to put a few new holes in Brother Thomas.

However, as the guards fall, they find themselves face to face with a giant humanoid rat-thing that emanates a rancid, sour smell. Despite the party’s best efforts, the creature manages to tear Brother Thomas’ left arm off and, in the process, force Baryl to draw deeper upon the demon’s power from desperation (Baryl surrenders the use of his body every full moon). Eventually, Leo kills the rat-creature by severing its jaw and stabbing his greatsword through its face.